This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Natural resources, such as oil and gas, are used as fuel to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity, in addition to various other uses. Once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are often employed to access and extract the resource. An offshore drilling and production system may include a riser that connects a drilling rig to a wellhead assembly through which the resource is extracted. A drill string can be run from the drilling rig through the riser to a well. Drilling mud may be directed into the well through the drill string and returns to the surface via an annular space between the drill string and the riser. In some typical systems, fluid flow through the annular space may be controlled via one or more choke valves within a surface manifold system.